peterson



(1.]. PETERSON.

FILM GATE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE ll, l9l8.

1,305,405. Patented June 3, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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C. .l. PETERSON.

FILM GATE.

APPLICATION HLED JU'NE 1|. 191a.

Patented June 3, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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cmus'mir .1. Patterson, or cmcneo, tumors.

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' when... 61 Letters i I i t t d June 3, 1

Application fled June 11, 1915.1 Serial Io. 239.412. 'f

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTEN J. Paren- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and which the-following is a specification.

The present invention relates to that portion of a motion-picture machine which is generally referred to as the film gate. These gates are positioned adjacent the light aperture and serve the purpose of holding the film in a fiat position while it is passing across the light aperture. The gates are capable of being opened to permit a threadin of the film through the machine.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of the character specified which can be moved away from the light aperture with a substantially straight line movement, thus offering, when in open position, a passage extending in front of the light aperture and for the length of the film gate and of a width to permit an easy movement of the film therethrough in the threading operation.

A further object of the invention is to apply a spring pressure to hold the inner or shoe portion of the gate in close engagement with the film when the gate is in c osed position.

A further object of the invention is to regulate this spring-tension as desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide a catch which acts to retain the film gate in closed position and to make this catch adjustable for the purpose of having it serve as a means for regulating the sprlng pressure above referred to.

The invention further consists in the features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.-

In the drawings: 7

Figure 1 is a horizontal section through a portion of the head of a motion-picture machine, showin the gate of the present in-v vention close in full lines and opened in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through a portion of said head, with the device of the present invention applied thereto;

Fig. 3 is a detail showing a face view of the gate;

Fig. 4 isa"se'ctional detail showing the retainln catch, and showing by means of dotted lines how the gate is raised to clear the catch; and t Fig."5'is'a perspective of the gate strucure. Referring now 'to the drawings, the device is shown as applied to ahead 6 of a motionplcture machmefwhich may be'of any suitable construction. The head, as shown, is equipped with the usual shutter member 7 and the various sprockets 8," which cause the film 9 to travel past the light aperture 10 in the usual manner. Of course, the foregoing parts can be of any suitable construction and arrangement and have no bearing upon the present invention.

The film gate 11, which constitutes the subject-matter of the resent invention, is arranged in front of as will be seen from Fig. 2. The film gate comprises in substance an inneror shoe portion 12, which presses against the film when the gate is closed, and an outer portion 13. An opening 14 is formed in the inner portion and an opening 15 in the outer portion,

. which openings aline with the light aperture 10, as will be seen from Fig. 2.

Extending rearwardly from the outer ortion is a lug or plate 16 formed with an e ongated slot 17 therein; and lying within this slot is a portion 18 of a stem 19, which stem has formed on its outer end a head 20. The head, as will be understood from the drawings, is of larger diameter than the width of the slot; and the stem 19 extends into a tapped opening in a portion of the frame of the head and is thus held in fixed position.

The plate 16, owing to the elongated nature of the slot 17, may have a hack and forth sliding movement with respect to said stem and also a turning movement about the stem, if desired. The outer portion 13 of the gate comprises the rearwardly extending plate 16 and a front plate 21, which plates, as will be seen from Figs. 1 and 5, are arranged at approximately right angles.

The plate 21 is formed with openings 22- at its upper and lower edges, into which openings extend fingers 23 from the inner portion of the shoe 12. These fingers are out, as at 24, to extend across the outer face the light aperture 10.

of the plate-2'1 (see Figs. 1 and 5), and thus form a connection between the outer and inner portions of the gate. There is also a short forwardly extending stub finger 25 extending from the fingers 23.

' Pressing against the bent portions 24 of the fingers 23 are leaf-springs 26 aflixed by screws 27,.or otherwise, to the frontplate *2'1. These springs, pressing as thydo'fiipon 10 a portion of the fingers 23, exert a rearward pressure upon the shoe 12, so that this shoe is maintained under spring pressure against the film, holding the latter in a smooth, fiat condition. As will be seen, the stub fingers 25 lie to the outside of the springs 26 to keep the springs in place.

Entered into a portion of the frame of the head is a threaded stem 28, which lies just belowthe lower end of the film gate (see Figs. 2, 3 and 4). This stemhas mounted thereon a finger-piece 29, which is adapted to be moved back and forth along the surface of the stem. The finger-piece terminates in a head 30 having an inner flat face 31, said face being sufficiently large so that the upper portion thereof engages with the lower. edge of the plate 21 of the film gate when the gate is closed (see Figs. 2

and 4).

With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2, wherein the lower edge of the plate 21 is resting against the face 31 of the finger-piece 29, the finger-piece is then acting as a catch to hold the gate in closed position. Attached to the plate 21 is a handle 32, and when it is desired to open the gate, the

operator grasps this handle and lifts the gate to the extent necessary to have the lower edge of the gate clear the head 30 (see dotted line position, Fig. 4). This is possible'because of the fact that the gate may have some swinging movement about the stem 19. After the lifting action has been performed, the gate can be pulled outwardly as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and when in such outward position, a clearance or passage is provided between the shoe 12 and the portion of the frame of the head in which the light aperture is located, so that the film can be very easily threaded through this passage into position for running the picture.

This method of mounting the gate so as to permit it to open in such manner renders the opening very quick and easy and also provides a definite elongated passage for guiding the film in the threading movement, so that when the gate is closed, the film will be properly engaged thereby and held in proper position with respect to the light aperture. v

By adjusting the finger-piece 29, the outer portion of the gate, consisting of the plates.

21 and 16, will be moved inward. This will carry inwardthe fastening members 27 for the springs 26, but since the outer ends of the springs are resting against the bent portions of the fingers 23 of the shoe 12, it is obvious thatthe farther the outer portion of the gate is forced inward, the greater will be the spring pressure upon the shoe shoe of the gate.

. A lug 38 extends upward from the plate 16, and when the gate is open, this lug-bears against the frame of the head and serves to maintain the gate in substantially vertical position while open, thus maintaining a Vertical passage for the film. The said lug also serves to limit the outward movement of the gate.

Although the device has been described with considerable particularity, it is not deemed to be limited otherwise than may be by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

-l. In combination with the head of a motion-picture machine having a light aperture therein, a film gate in front of said light aperture, a mounting for said ate enabling it to moveoutwardly from the ead, tension mechanism for holding the gate in engagement with the film when in closed position, and an adjustable catch for holding the gate in closed position, said catch when adjusted serving toVary the pressure of said tension mechanism, substantially as described.

2. In combination with the head of a motion-picture machine having a light aper-- ture, a film gate arranged in front of said aperture, a rearW-ardly extending plate on said gate having an elongated slot therein, a

stud secured to the head with the shankthereof lying in said slot, whereby said plate may slide with respect to said head to allow the gate to move outwardly from the head, a lug on said plate adapted to engage a fixed contact when the open position and maintain the gate in .a substantially vertical position, and means for holding the gate in closed position, substantially as described. V v

3. In combination with the head of a'mo tion picture machine containing a light aperture, a film gate arranged in front of said gate is moved to 4. In combination with the head of mo.-

ing to hold the gate in closed position, said stud and slot cooperating to allow the gate to partake of a supplemental movement at the commencement of the openin operation, whereby the gate may clear saif catch, and means for holding the gate in substantially vertical position, substantially as described.

5. In combination with the head of a motion picture machine containing a light aperture, a film gate arranged in front of said aperture, a plate secured to the gate and extending rearwardly therefrom, a stud afiixed to the head, said plate being formed with an elongated slot in which said stud rests, said stud and slot cooperatin to provide a mounting for the gate enab ing it to open with a rectilinear movement outwardly from said head, a catch extending from the outer face of the head and lying in front of the gate and serving to hold the vgate in closed position, said stud and slot coopcrating to allow the gate to partake of a supplemental movement at the commencement of the opening operation, whereby the gate may clear said catch, means for holding the gate in substantially vertical position, and spring shoes upon said gate adapted to bear against the film when the gate is closed, said catch being adjustable and when adjustabling it to move outwar ed serving to vary the tension of said shoes, substantiall as described.

6. In com ination with the head of a motion picture machine containing a light aperture, a film gate arranged in front of said aperture, a plate secured to the gate and extending rearwardl therefrom, a stud afiixed to the head, said p ate bein formed with an elongated slot in which sai stud rests, said stud and slot cooperating to provide a mounting for the gate enabling it to open with a rectilinear movement outwardly from said head, a catch extending from the outer face of the head and lyingl in front of the gate and serving to hold t e gate in closed a position, said stud and slot cooperating to allow the gate to partake of a supplemental movement at the commencement of the opening operation, whereby the gate may clear said catch, means for holding the gate in substantially vertical position, and a lug upon said plate adapted when the gate is open to engage a fixed surface and maintain the gate in substantially vertical open position, substantially as described.

7. In combination with the head of a motion picture machine containing a light aperture, 9. film gate arranged in front of said aperture, a mountinglfor sald gate eny from said head with a rectilinear movement, said mounting lying entirely rearwardly of said gate, means positioned in front of said gate for maintaining the gate in closed position, said mountm being arranged to permit the gate to parta e of a supplemental movement at the commencement of the openin operation to clear said means and means or holding" the gate substantiall vertical when in open position, substantial as described.

' CHRIST N J. PETERSON. 

